How to Provide Protection against Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is a sneaky killer. Screening is difficult and has not resulted in reducing diagnoses or deaths (Health Technology Assessment, May 2025). Only about half of the women diagnosed with this malignancy survive five years or more.

There is, however, some promising news on prevention.  Over the past few decades, researchers have accumulated evidence that ovarian cancer often begins in the fallopian tubes rather than in the ovaries themselves (Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Feb. 2017). As a result, gynecologists have proposed surgically removing the fallopian tubes to prevent ovarian cancer. This surgery has a fancy medical name, “salpingectomy.”

Surgical Removal of Fallopian Tubes Cuts Risk of Ovarian Cancer:

A research letter in JAMA Network Open shows that removing the fallopian tubes can indeed provide protection (Feb. 2, 2026). The investigators analyzed records of more than 80,000 surgeries in British Columbia, Canada. Roughly half of these removed the tubes as part of a hysterectomy or tubal permanent contraception. The other half did not involve the reproductive tract and were used for comparison.  Women who had had their fallopian tubes removed were nearly 80% less likely to be diagnosed later with ovarian cancer.

In addition, the researchers asked international pathologists to contribute to a database linking the grade of ovarian cancer to whether or not the (anonymous) patient had fallopian tubes. There were relatively few cases of such cancers, and only 23% were high-grade. As a comparison, 68% of the ovarian tumors identified in people with fallopian tubes were high grade. The scientists suggest that women who have completed their families and who need any type of abdominal surgery should ask to have their fallopian tubes removed as well (“opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy”). Reducing the chance of developing this dreadful deadly disease would certainly be welcome.

Does Aspirin Help Prevent Ovarian Cancer?

A very old drug may provide some valuable protection against ovarian cancer. Scientists have been studying the potential links for more than a decade.

We wrote about one early study back in 2014:

Data from 12 large epidemiological studies were pooled and analyzed. The investigators compared 8,000 women with ovarian cancer to nearly 12,000 healthy women.

They found that taking low-dose aspirin daily reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by approximately 20 percent. Women who took NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen at least once a week also appeared to have a lower risk of the cancer, but the reduction was not statistically significant. Acetaminophen did not offer any advantages against ovarian cancer.

This is not the first time aspirin has been identified as an anticancer compound. Other research has found that regular aspirin use is associated with a lower risk of cancers of the colon, stomach, esophagus, bladder, lung, liver, breast and prostate. There are few effective preventive measures against ovarian cancer. If this association holds up, it would be an important tool in the effort to reduce a hard-to-treat cancer (JNCI, online Feb. 1, 2014).

As we noted, aspirin has some drawbacks. It can irritate the digestive tract and cause ulcers, even bleeding ulcers. That is why we suggest an in-depth conversation with a health professional before beginning to take aspirin every day for months or years.

How Well Did This Research Hold Up?

Aspirin has had a checkered track record lately, so we wanted to see whether researchers still see it as a preventive tool against ovarian cancer. One fairly recent study looked at whether women with higher genetic risk factors also are protected (in part) if they take aspirin (JAMA Network Open, Feb. 1, 2023). The study included more than 10,000 women and found that aspirin remains protective even among those with genetic susceptibility. When scientists reviewed nine cohort studies and eight case-control studies, they also found that frequent aspirin use is associated with a lower risk of ovarian cancer, regardless of other risk factors (Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dec. 20, 2022).

Aspirin is cheap and its side effect profile is well known. We don’t advocate for anyone taking aspirin long-term without medical supervision. However, we think that any woman concerned about her risk for ovarian cancer should definitely discuss the potential for protection with her healthcare provider. Either surgery or taking aspirin on a regular basis might offer significant peace of mind.